Chinese authorities are investigating a Korean-American Christian NGO leader who lives in Tumen City, located in the border of China and North Korea.

An insider told Reuters that the man, Peter Hahn, is being interrogated by the police for the last three weeks and is prohibited to leave the country. The authorities also had Hahn's bank accounts frozen.

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Aside from his accounts, the police also confiscated Hahn's company cars and has suspended his NGO's food shipments to North Korea.

However, the source said that the reason for the probe is still unspecified. The investigation coincides with a previous case of a Canadian Christian couple who owns a coffee shop near Dandong City. It is said that the couple is under the suspicion of military intelligence theft.

Several people residing in the region said Hahn's investigation is just a fraction of a bigger crackdown of Christian NGOs and businesses located at the Chinese side border with North Korea.

Hahn leads a school for Korean children in Tumen and owns the Tumen River Area Development Initiative (TRADI) NGO that pioneered several projects. Hahn also capitalizes on some joint venture companies in North Korea, including the bus service company in Rajin-Songbon.

The school declined to comment about the case. At the same time, the Tumen police also refused to give a statement.

The source said Hahn is very open about his Christian faith. In the website of one of Hahn's NGOs, they described their goal of self-sacrifice "for the ministry of God."

The website also indicated that the NGO aims to create a connection built within the city of Tumen and North Korea.

Meanwhile, a U.S. embassy spokesman in Beijing declined to comment on the matter.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said that the office is aware about the investigation that involves Hahn, who is a naturalized U.S. citizen. However, Harf said she could not provide further information because of the sensitivity of the case. 

TagsNorth Korea, U.S.